Excavatinq-machine



(No Model.) v 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. S. MORTON.

BXCAVATING MACHINE.

No. 287,888. Patented 008. 8o, 1888.

mm MW We wa (No Model.)` 3 sheets-sheet 2.

WS. MORTON.

EXGAVATING MACHINE.

No. 287,563. Patented Oct. 30', 1888.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3,

W. S. MORTON.

EXGAVATING MACHINE.

No. 287,563.'- Patented OG t. 30,1883.

www mmm UNITED STAT-Es PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER SCOTT MOETON, or ST. PAUL, MINiIEsoTA.y

EXCAVATlNGMACHlNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent o. 287,563, dated October 30, 1883,

Application .filed January 11, 1883. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER SCOTT MORTON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey, in the State of Minnesota, have invented certain new .and useful Improvements in Excavating-Machines, of which the following specification is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being also had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Y Figure 1 is a semi-sectional side elevation. Fig.- 2 is a plan view; Fig. 3, a detached view of the cutting-cylinder, showing avariation in its construction. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation. Fig. 5 is a sectional side view; and Fig. 6 is a sectional plan view, enlarged, of the excavating-drum and a portion of the conveyer-belt.

The main frame-work of the machine conof wheels, B3 B, are shown fixed to a cylindrical axle, B, so that the axle and wheels revolve together, and one of the wheels, B3, isprovided with a ratchet-wheel, a, adapted to bev acted upon by a bar or dog, b, vibrated in any suitable manner by the mechanism that operates the excavator, as hereinafter shown, to revolve the wheels B3 B* and axle B6 and move the machine slowly and steadily forward as the excavator cuts into the bank of earth.

The wheels B' B2 may be rmly fixed upon their axles, if preferred, or made to be either fixed or swiveled, as desired', and the machine may be arranged to be transported from place to place by horse, steam, or other power. The ratchet-wheel a and dog b may also be dispensed with, and the machine moved forward by hand-power or in any other suitable manner.

rear part of the main frame is asmaller frame, D, as shown. This frame D is pivoted at one Arranged between cross-timbers A5 A6 in the of its upper corners by a pin, c, in the crossbar A5, and by the oppositelower corner with an upright shaft, E, inthe cross-bar A6, so that the frame is free to oscillate backand forth within its supports A5 A".

F' is a horizontal shaft journaled in suitable boxes on the sides of the' frame D, and carrying a drum, F2, on its center, and two wooden side bars, G' G2, outside the ends ofthe drum,

and running forward and downward, as showinv and two chain-pulleys, H' H?, outside thev wooden bars. Upon the shaftfF', vnearest'-;to the pivoted side o the fra-nieV D, isfa .bevelgear wheel, I', adapted to engage with a bevelpinion, I2, on the upper end ofthe uprightshaft E. The shaftV E passes down below the cross-piece A6,andis provided on itslower end with a miter-gear," K', arranged toengage with a similar miter-gear, K",` on a ,horizontal shaft, L', journaled across oneV ofthe rear upright's, A3, and a short upright, A1,?

and provided with a'grooved wire-cable pulley, L2, Von its end outside'the vupright A". By this arrangement, if motion beapplied by a wire cable to the shaft L', the miter-gears K' K2 will transfer the motionto shaft E, and

from thence through the bevel-gears IIz to the shaft F' and its drum Fzand chain-pulleys H.' H2, while at the same-time, by utilizing the shaft E as one of -the pivots of the frame D, the latter may be oscillated without in f terfering with the action of the shafts and gears, &c-.

Any other means may be used to revolve the shaft L than'a wirel cable; but this power will do the work effectually' and advantageously.

Journaled across and beneath the lower ends of the bars G' Gr2 is ashaft, F3, carrying a drum,

F, similar to the shaft F', and drum F2, over Too desired number may be used.

ed to be revolved around the shafts,while the latter are held stationary by dogs or clamps d di, which secure the shafts to the bars G G2.

Attached to the inner ends of the sleeves R R2 are two sheet-steel or other metallic disks, T T, whose outer rims project outward and beyond the ends of the drum F* a short distance, as shown. These two disks T T2 are connected to each other by a sheet-steel cylinder, T, through which a number of narrow slots, e', Fig. 5, are cut at regular intervals, parallel with the shafts N N". Six of these slots e are shown in the drawings; but any The cylinder Ti, where the slots are cut through, is strengthcned by strips of L-iron, e2, as shown, the adjacent faces of the L-irons forming deeper slots than the thickness of the steel ofthe cylinder. The short shafts N' N pass inward through the disks T T, and are provided on their inner ends, inside the disks, withcrankarms N N the outer ends of the crank-arms being connected together by a shaft, N5, inside the cylinder T.

The shafts N N?, crank-arms N N, and shaft N5 are all firmly connected together, and held rigidly by the dogs d di, the center line of the drum F, shaits N N, and' shaft N5 all being'about in the same plane, Vthe crank-arms pointing away from the, drum F* and shafts N N, as shown.

Encircling the shaft N5 loosely at it-s ends next the crank-arms N N, and at suitablcintermediate points, are sets of collars i, to which arms in are attached by their inner ends, and with their outer ends passing out through the slots e. There will be as many of the collars t' in each set as there are slots ein the cylinder T3, and the number will be increased or decreased to correspond to the slots in the cylinder. In the drawings, six slots, e', being shown,.six collars, are shown in each set. Three sets of the collars are shown, one at each end and one in the center of the shait'N5, which will be enough ordinarily; but the longer the cylinder T is made the more sets of collars 'i and arms m will be required, whilea very short cylinder would only require two sets. In the drawings, where three sets of collars i are shown, three of the arms m pass out through veach of the slots e', and across the outer ends of each set of the arms that pass through the same slot a curved sheet-steel shovel7 or blade, a, is fixed, with small sharp-pointed fingers r attached to and projectiug beyond the outer edges ofthe blades n.

The outer ends of the sleeves R R'2 project beyond the bars G G2, and are provided on said projecting ends with chain-pulleys H H* in line with the chain-pulleys H H2, so that endless chains Hs H, passing over the two sets of chain-pulleys, will revolve the cylinder TJ aud disks T Tg around the shafts N N2 N5 at the same time with the slatted belt M. By this means the revolution of the cylinder will clrry the arms m around the shait N, by reason of the outer ends of the arms passing through the slots e', and the collalsibeing loose upon the shaft N5.

The crank-arms N N* pointing away from the drum F, as shown, and the arms m being just long enough so that the outer points of the fingers r will be flush with or a little in- `side the outer surface ofthe cylinder T3 when the slots e' pass the drum F, it follows as a matter of course (the arms m being all the same length) that when the slots e pass the point y, directly opposite the drum F, the arms m will project beyond the cylinder T their greatest distance. The arms m will gradually pass farther and farther out through the slots e' as the cylinder, in revolving, carries the slots around from the drum F4 to the point y, and then gradually recede into the cylinder again as the slots pass around to the drum. The blades n and fingers r, being attached to the arms m, will run in and out with them.

In the drawings, Figs. 5 and 6, one set of the arms m and its blade n are shown next the drum F* and entirelyinside the cylinder, and the opposite arm and its attached blade and fingers at the farthest point of projection, while those below the center are shown gradually projectingiarther and farther outward, and the blades above the center gradually receding farther and farther inward.

h are cutting iingers or blades attached to the outer rims of the disksT T, to cut grooves in the earth on each side of the cylinder and in advance of it, to assist the blades n and iingers r in their work.

V is a scraper attached to the bars G G7, with its upper edge in close contact with the outer surface of the cylinder T3 at the point where the fingers r are withdrawn entirely inside the cylinder, to remove any adhering earth, as shown in Fig. 5. This scraper may be-placed above the drum F and its slatted belt M, if desired, to form not only ascraper, but to also act as a chute to run the earth from the cylinder up onto the belt M.

As before stated, the frame D is free to be oscillated horizontally on its pivot cand shaft E. This is to permit'the side bars, G G2, and their attached endless chain M and cuttingcylinder T to be swept around from side to side to increase the scope of the cutting-power, while at the same time the cylinder T and belt M may be raised and lowered by any suit-- able means to cut upward through a bank.

Lying along over the top of the cross-bar A5, with one end pivoted on the pin c and the other end free and ending above the drum Ti, is a wooden arm or lever, NV. In the free end of the lever a grooved pulley, t', is-pivoted, over which a rope, ti', leading from a. bail, G, on the bars G G2, runs and is carried back and around a sheave, t, on the upper end of the pivot c, and from thence over an angularly-set sheave, t, and down to a windlass, t5, on the base-frame A. By this arrange- IIO ast/.eea 3 ment,` if the windlass be revolved, the rope i? will be wound up and raise the lower ends ot' the bars G G2 and their attached belt M and cylinder T upward.

if tl are two other ropes, attached to oppo-y site sides or the lever lV at i8 t, and passing in opposite directions over to the sides of the upper frame, A", and thence through suitable blocks or pulleys, t t", down to two windlasses, tu t, and by revolving` either one of these windlasses the ropes t tT will be wound up and draw lever XV from side to side, according to which windlass is revolved. rlhis side movement ol the llever W will be communicated to the bars G G2 and their attached belt M and cylinder T3 through the rope t2, and the cutting mechanism moved lli-om side to side on its pivots c E.

l Ahave shown the above-described system of ropes and windlasses to operate the machine; but I do not wish to confine myself to this specicmechanism, as I am aware that many well-known mechanical devices may be employed to secure the required movements. Steam, hand, or any other power may be employed to operate the cutting and elevating mechanism.

By this apparatus a bank of earth will be cut out by the revolving blades n, carried up over thecylinder T, and delivered upon the belt M, and carried byit up over the drum F" and dumped into any suitable receptacle or ear. I have shown a hopper-bottomed dumpbox, X, suspended beneath the upper end of the belt M, adapted to receive the earth and dump it, when required,-into a car or wagon placed beneath it. A section ot' the bank as wide as the horizontal sweep ot' the cuttingframe may be cut through, and by turning and guiding the machine on its wheels B B2 B B* it may be made to cut in any direction. The cutting-cyliinlcr may also be arranged to cut below the level'ol' the earth on which the wheels B B2 Bi stand, it' required. ln Fig.

' 1 the dotted line a represents the last line of the eut ot' the ciittiiig-e,'liinle1, and the dotted line s represents the cut about to be made.

lhe crank-arms N N* may be made adjustable, to alterihe cutting-point higher or lower, il' desired. In some kinds of dry sandy soil the l'orni ot' cuttingshown in lfig. 3 maybe y used..

Excavating-machines have before been constructed in which a. vertically-swinging frame carrying an endless apron or endless chain ot' buckets was pivoted to a vertical shaft, and I do not claim such a construction.

l'iaving described my invention and set forth swinging fra-me, substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.

2. In an. excavator, the combination of a horizontally swinging lframe, a verticallyswinging frame pivoted thereto, an excavating-cylinder mounted on the lower end of the vertically-swinging frame, and provided with a series ot' blades, means for projecting and retracting the blades in the cylinder, andan endless apron for receiving and delivering the earth from the cylinder, substantially as andfraaie, means for projecting and retracting said blades, an endless apron for removing and delivering the earth discharged from the cylinder, and the chain and lever for raising and lowering and laterally moving the revolving cylinder, substantially as and i'or the purpose set forth.

Ii. In an excavator, the combination of a horizontally swinging frame, a verticallyswinging frame pivoted thereto, au excavating-cylinder mounted on the lower end of the vertically-swingingframe, an endless apron mounted on the vcrticallyswinging fran-1e, means for driving the cylinder by a shaft on the horizontally-swinging frame, and means for driving the endless apron 'by the shaft driving the eXcavating-cylinder, substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.

IOC

o'. In an excavator, the combination of a horizontally swinging frame, a verticallyswinging frame pivoted thereto, an excavating-cylinder mounted on the lower end of the vertically-swinging frame, and provided with projecting and retreating blades, an endless apron mounted on the verticallyswinging frame, and a clearing-scraper located between the cylinder and the endless apron, substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.

7. In an excavator, the combination of an excavatingcylinder mounted on the `lower end of a vertically-'swinging frame, and provided with proiecting and retreating blades journaled on an eccentric shaft inside of the cylinder, and an endless apron mounted on the same frame, substantially as and for-the purpose herein specified.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand in presence ol` two subscribing witnesses.

.ALTER- SCOTT NORTON. ll'ituesses:

"Loris Fmssnn,

t. N. Fionwzlnir IIO 

